Police warning after toy gun found in bush

Police have issued a stark warning over giving toy guns to children - after the discovery of a highly realistic fake in bushes.

The discovery was made in Lurgan last week but moved police to post images of a real gun and a fake with the question: “Someone points one of these at you. It’s decision time. Tick tock. By the time you’ve read this far that time is up. Which one’s real? Which one’s fake?”

They went on to point out: “If you worked in a shop, and either of these were pointed at you, what would you do? Take a risk? Hand money over?

“What if you were a responding police officer? Would you even let it get to the stage of it being pointed at you or not? I know I wouldn’t.

“This is why children’s toy guns should NEVER be realistic looking. If they fall into the wrong hands their use can be - and indeed frequently is - criminal. “The results of that can be deadly.”

In question to the public they said: “One of the weapons in this picture was found in bushes in Clara Street, Lurgan on Friday. It’s fake. The other is real.

“Can you tell which side on picture and which barrel picture is real?

“Parents, get rid of any realistic gun ‘toys’. The toy here was left lying. It could have ended in so many worse ways. It’s never worth the risk.”

Answer to the question is the left side photos are of the fake one police found. The right is a real weapon.